What does mindfulness mean to you?
It’s about finding a way to be present in the current moment, without judgement. There’s a subtle difference between being present and trying to figure out everything that’s going on. You don’t have to figure out everything that’s going on – just be there and find a way to connect with whoever you’re with or whatever you are doing. It’s your presence and listening that matters – listening to yourself as well as people around you.
What are the biggest challenges people face in the workplace?
I believe the number one issue is people not feeling safe in the work environment. People need to feel safe to be able to make mistakes, learn and grow. People try to be someone they’re not, because often they may be worried about whether they are going to look good, or if they will be judged if they put ideas forward. The moment anyone gets feels that way, it will limit their ability to perform at their peak.
Over the years, I’ve had leaders who made me feel really safe. I’ve had the opportunity to voice my opinion freely and not be worried about being judged. I’ve also had some leaders who have not provided that safe environment to be open and honest, and I’ve felt miserable that I was not performing at my best. If you can create an open, trusted and safe environment, you can get the best out of your people and create an opportunity for people to learn and grow.
What can organisations do to create a safe environment?
I’ve been with Microsoft for over 21 years and have been fortunate to see three CEOs in action; Bill Gates, Steve Ballmer and now Satya Nadella. Each CEO bought a different and unique style of leadership and culture to Microsoft. Each of these cultures brought different innovative skills of people and leadership styles. Different times require different styles of leadership in any organisation.
At times you need a directive leadership style to drive a company from A to B, while at other times you need a different style of leadership that may be less directive.
Ultimately, it’s about creating the right culture that can foster growth and innovation.
If you look at the transformation that Microsoft is currently going through, at the heart of it is creating a culture of growth and innovation.
At Microsoft we talk a lot about the growth mindset in how we develop our culture. Our CEO, Satya [Nadella] is fostering the notion of moving from a know-it-all culture to a learn-it-all culture. He talks about this in his book, Hit Refresh.
It isn’t until you truly listen that you see a different perspective. The number one priority in any organization should be creating a culture where people can freely express their views and feel they are being listened to.
The second priority is establishing a clear sense of purpose and a mission. For Microsoft, our mission is to empower every person and every organisation on the planet to achieve more. It’s not just a statement on the wall – everybody lives by this mission and believes in what we do every day.
If a company can create a clear sense of purpose, mission and culture where people are being creative, not afraid to fail and learn from those mistakes, they understand the learn-it-all not know-it-all culture – you then have a learning organisation where people love coming to work and feel safe in that environment as it provides an opportunity to learn and grow.
Satya was once asked in an interview how he handles meetings.
His response was: “I talk less, I listen more, and am decisive when it comes to my turn”. That goes back to learn-it-all, not know-it-all culture. To learn it all, you’ve got to listen and understand, then make your decision.
Do you believe in work/life balance?
I don’t. I believe work needs to be life-enhancing.
You have to find work that you love doing, then you will find meaning in it. If you say work/life balance then it feels like it’s one or the other, but it’s all about how you combine the two. It’s not easy, depending on the job you have, the demands on you at work and at home.
I try to make sure physically I have something to do that I enjoy that can balance with work – long distance running is that passion for me. I find a way to combine it with what I do at work with other activities that complement and support my personal passion as well.
For me, the recent book I published about building high performing teams and articles I write aren’t directly related to work, but they give me satisfaction and complement the work I do. If you can do things that you love, enjoy and help you grow, you will find excitement in what you do.
How important is meaning in work?
You have to find meaning and purpose in what you do and it needs to be fulfilling. Often people tend to measure success in their work through numbers. I believe success without fulfillment is the ultimate failure in life. Work is not just about succeeding in the job, we need to find ways to ensure we have fulfillment and meaning in what we do.
If your organization mission and purpose is aligned with your own, that’s a great place to be.
What’s the single most important thing people can do to improve the quality of their lives?
Without a doubt it’s got to be the attitude you develop and bring to the table. To me, everything comes down to the energy and the attitude you bring. If you bring the right attitude to whatever you do, everything else can fall into place. I talk about three habits in my book (confidence, attitude and recognition). Whatever the problem is, if you look at it in a positive and a constructive way you will find a way to solve the problem.
Attitude and energy combined creates a great platform for teams to perform. Sometimes you see it in teams where people are bright and smart but if they bring negative energy or attitude, that can drag everybody else in the team down.
Jack Welsh was asked in an interview what he would look for when he hires people. His response was: “I look to see if the person brings the right attitude and positive energy, if they don’t, no matter how smart they are, I don’t hire them”.
"If you can create an open, trusted and
safe environment, you can
get the best out of your people."
Vajira Weerasekera
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